New Zealand
Checklist of Endemic Bird Species
This list of bird species found exclusively in New Zealand is based on the taxonomy used in del Hoyo & Collar (2014 & 2016). The source list based on the December 2017 update is available online here. For further details on possible inaccuracies in the list see Sources & Caveats.
del Hoyo, J. & N.J. Collar HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. 2014 Vol. 1: Non-passerines & 2016 Vol. 2: Passerines. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
Additional species recognized after the HBW-BirdLife December 2017 update or considered valid by other major checklists are listed at the bottom of the page.
Apteryx
haastii (Struthioniformes Apterygidae)
Great Spotted Kiwi
Apteryx
owenii (Struthioniformes Apterygidae)
Little Spotted Kiwi
Apteryx
mantelli (Struthioniformes Apterygidae)
North Island Brown Kiwi
Apteryx
australis (Struthioniformes Apterygidae)
Southern Brown Kiwi
Apteryx
rowi (Struthioniformes Apterygidae)
Okarito Kiwi
Coturnix
novaezelandiae
(Galliformes Phasianidae)
New Zealand Quail
(Extinct)
Mergus
australis (Anseriformes Anatidae)
Auckland Merganser
(Extinct)
Tadorna
variegata (Anseriformes Anatidae)
Paradise Shelduck
Chenonetta
finschi (Anseriformes Anatidae)
Finsch's Duck
(Extinct)
Hymenolaimus
malacorhynchos
(Anseriformes Anatidae)
Blue Duck
Aythya
novaeseelandiae
(Anseriformes Anatidae)
New Zealand Scaup
Anas
chlorotis (Anseriformes Anatidae)
Brown Teal
Anas
aucklandica (Anseriformes Anatidae)
Auckland Teal
Anas
nesiotis (Anseriformes Anatidae)
Campbell Teal
Poliocephalus
rufopectus (Podicipediformes Podicipedidae)
New Zealand Grebe
Hemiphaga
novaeseelandiae
(Columbiformes Columbidae)
New Zealand Pigeon
Hemiphaga
chathamensis (Columbiformes Columbidae)
Chatham Pigeon
Urodynamis taitensis (Cuculiformes Cuculidae) Long-tailed Koel (Breeding)
Lewinia
muelleri (Gruiformes Rallidae)
Auckland Rail
Gallirallus
australis (Gruiformes Rallidae)
Weka
Diaphorapteryx
hawkinsi (Gruiformes Rallidae)
Hawkins's Rail
(Extinct)
Cabalus
modestus (Gruiformes Rallidae)
Chatham Rail
(Extinct)
Hypotaenidia
dieffenbachii (Gruiformes Rallidae)
Dieffenbach's Rail
(Extinct)
Porphyrio
mantelli (Gruiformes Rallidae)
North Island Takahe
(Extinct)
Porphyrio
hochstetteri (Gruiformes Rallidae)
South Island Takahe
Tribonyx
hodgenorum (Gruiformes Rallidae)
Hodgen's Waterhen
(Extinct)
Eudyptes
sclateri (Sphenisciformes Spheniscidae)
Erect-crested Penguin
Eudyptes
pachyrhynchus (Sphenisciformes Spheniscidae)
Fiordland Penguin
Eudyptes
robustus (Sphenisciformes Spheniscidae)
Snares Penguin
Megadyptes
antipodes (Sphenisciformes Spheniscidae)
Yellow-eyed Penguin
Fregetta
maoriana (Procellariiformes Oceanitidae)
New Zealand Storm-petrel (Breeding)
Diomedea
sanfordi (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)
Northern Royal Albatross (Breeding)
Diomedea
epomophora (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)
Southern Royal Albatross (Breeding)
Diomedea
antipodensis (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)
Antipodean Albatross
(Breeding)
Thalassarche
impavida (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)
Campbell Albatross
(Breeding)
Thalassarche
bulleri (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)
Buller's Albatross
(Breeding)
Thalassarche
steadi (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)
White-capped Albatross (Breeding)
Thalassarche
eremita (Procellariiformes Diomedeidae)
Chatham Albatross
(Breeding)
Pterodroma
cookii (Procellariiformes Procellariidae) Cook's Petrel
(Breeding)
Pterodroma
pycrofti (Procellariiformes Procellariidae) Pycroft's Petrel
(Breeding)
Pterodroma
axillaris (Procellariiformes Procellariidae) Chatham Petrel
(Breeding)
Pterodroma
inexpectata (Procellariiformes Procellariidae) Mottled Petrel
(Breeding)
Pterodroma
magentae (Procellariiformes Procellariidae) Magenta Petrel
(Breeding)
Pterodroma
gouldi (Procellariiformes Procellariidae) Grey-faced Petrel
(Breeding)
Procellaria
westlandica (Procellariiformes Procellariidae) Westland Petrel
(Breeding)
Procellaria
parkinsoni (Procellariiformes Procellariidae) Black Petrel
(Breeding)
Ardenna
bulleri (Procellariiformes Procellariidae) Buller's Shearwater
(Breeding)
Puffinus
gavia (Procellariiformes Procellariidae) Fluttering Shearwater
(Breeding)
Puffinus
huttoni (Procellariiformes Procellariidae) Hutton's Shearwater
(Breeding)
Ixobrychus
novaezelandiae
(Pelecaniformes Ardeidae)
New Zealand Little Bittern (Extinct)
Phalacrocorax
carunculatus (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae) Rough-faced Shag
Phalacrocorax
chalconotus (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae) Stewart Shag
Phalacrocorax
onslowi (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae) Chatham Shag
Phalacrocorax
campbelli (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae) Campbell Shag
Phalacrocorax
ranfurlyi (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae) Bounty Shag
Phalacrocorax
colensoi (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae) Auckland Shag
Phalacrocorax
punctatus (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae) Spotted Shag
Phalacrocorax
featherstoni (Suliformes Phalacrocoracidae) Pitt Shag
Haematopus
chathamensis (Charadriiformes Haematopodidae) Chatham Oystercatcher
Haematopus
unicolor (Charadriiformes Haematopodidae) Variable
Oystercatcher
Himantopus
novaezelandiae
(Charadriiformes Recurvirostridae) Black Stilt
Charadrius
aquilonius (Charadriiformes Charadriidae)
Northern Red-breasted
Plover
Charadrius
obscurus (Charadriiformes Charadriidae)
Southern Red-breasted
Plover
Charadrius
bicinctus (Charadriiformes Charadriidae)
Double-banded Plover
(Breeding)
Thinornis
novaeseelandiae
(Charadriiformes Charadriidae)
Shore Plover
Anarhynchus
frontalis (Charadriiformes Charadriidae)
Wrybill
Coenocorypha
pusilla (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)
Chatham Snipe
Coenocorypha
iredalei (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)
South Island Snipe
(Extinct)
Coenocorypha
huegeli (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)
Snares Island Snipe
Coenocorypha
aucklandica (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)
Auckland Snipe
Coenocorypha
barrierensis (Charadriiformes Scolopacidae)
North Island Snipe
(Extinct)
Larus
bulleri (Charadriiformes Laridae)
Black-billed Gull
Chlidonias
albostriatus (Charadriiformes Laridae)
Black-fronted Tern
Sceloglaux
albifacies (Strigiformes Strigidae)
Laughing Owl
(Extinct)
Falco
novaeseelandiae
(Falconiformes Falconidae)
New Zealand Falcon
Strigops
habroptila (Psittaciformes Strigopidae)
Kakapo
Nestor
notabilis (Psittaciformes Strigopidae)
Kea
Nestor
meridionalis (Psittaciformes Strigopidae)
New Zealand Kaka
Cyanoramphus
unicolor (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)
Antipodes Parakeet
Cyanoramphus
forbesi (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)
Chatham Parakeet
Cyanoramphus
auriceps (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)
Yellow-fronted
Parakeet
Cyanoramphus
malherbi (Psittaciformes Psittacidae)
Malherbe's Parakeet
Acanthisitta
chloris (Passeriformes Acanthisittidae) Rifleman
Xenicus
longipes (Passeriformes Acanthisittidae) Bushwren
(Extinct)
Xenicus
gilviventris (Passeriformes Acanthisittidae) New Zealand Rockwren
Traversia
lyalli (Passeriformes Acanthisittidae) Stephens Island Rockwren (Extinct)
Prosthemadera
novaeseelandiae
(Passeriformes Meliphagidae)
Tui
Anthornis
melanura (Passeriformes Meliphagidae)
New Zealand Bellbird
Anthornis
melanocephala (Passeriformes Meliphagidae)
Chatham Bellbird
(Extinct)
Gerygone
igata (Passeriformes Acanthizidae)
Grey Gerygone
Gerygone
albofrontata (Passeriformes Acanthizidae)
Chatham Gerygone
Mohoua
albicilla (Passeriformes Mohouidae)
Whitehead
Mohoua
ochrocephala (Passeriformes Mohouidae)
Yellowhead
Mohoua
novaeseelandiae
(Passeriformes Mohouidae)
Pipipi
Turnagra
tanagra (Passeriformes Oriolidae)
North Island Piopio
(Extinct)
Turnagra
capensis (Passeriformes Oriolidae)
South Island Piopio
(Extinct)
Rhipidura
fuliginosa (Passeriformes Rhipiduridae)
New Zealand Fantail
Callaeas
wilsoni (Passeriformes Callaeidae)
North Island Kokako
Callaeas
cinereus (Passeriformes Callaeidae)
South Island Kokako
(Extinct?)
Philesturnus
rufusater (Passeriformes Callaeidae)
North Island
Saddleback
Philesturnus
carunculatus (Passeriformes Callaeidae)
South Island
Saddleback
Heteralocha
acutirostris (Passeriformes Callaeidae)
Huia
(Extinct)
Notiomystis
cincta (Passeriformes Notiomystidae)
Stitchbird
Petroica
macrocephala (Passeriformes Petroicidae)
New Zealand Tomtit
Petroica
dannefaerdi (Passeriformes Petroicidae)
Snares Tomtit
Petroica
traversi (Passeriformes Petroicidae)
Black Robin
Petroica
longipes (Passeriformes Petroicidae)
North Island Robin
Petroica
australis (Passeriformes Petroicidae)
South Island Robin
Poodytes
punctatus (Passeriformes Locustellidae)
New Zealand Fernbird
Poodytes
caudatus (Passeriformes Locustellidae)
Snares Fernbird
Poodytes rufescens (Passeriformes Locustellidae) Chatham Fernbird (Extinct)
The following additional species were recognized after the HBW-BirdLife December 2017 update. These 2 species added to the 111 listed above total 113 endemic bird species for New Zealand.
Haematopus finschi (Charadriiformes
Haematopodididae) South
Island Oystercatcher
Pelecanoides
whenuahouensis (Procellariiformes Procellaridae) Whenua Hou Diving-petrel
Leucocarbo stewarti (Suliformes
Phalacrocoracidae) Foveaux
Shag 2
Cyanoramphus hochstetteri (Psittaciformes
Psittacidae) Reischek's
Parakeet 12
Cyanoramphus
novaezelandiae # (Psittaciformes Psittacidae) Red-fronted
Parakeet 123
.